Sintering machine



May 9, 1950 c. E. AGNEw SINTERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1947 TOC Il m INVENTOR CHARLES E. AGNEW ATTORNEYS May 9 1950 c. E..AGNEw 2,506,569

' SINTERING MACHINE Filed March 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. -5

INVENTOR CHARLES E. AGNEW JOM ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v -2,506,569. f a

`slnfriinlrzo.'Marmitta l charles E. Agn-mesurer HeightslohmA Application March 202.1947, seriarNo. 136,081

claims. (opzet-21)` i This invention relates to'improvements insintering machines for sintering finely dividedk ore or vother fine metal bearing material to convert it into agglomerated masses suitable for charging into a blast furnace.V

An object of the present invention is to' provide a stationary roller track together with wheelless flat bottom pallets and wherein' the rollers of the track have cylindrical bearing sur-- faces which are tangential to the ilat bottom 0I the pallets so that the pallets are free to expand laterally under the influence of heat without changing the horizontal position of the pallets and the cooperation of the pallets with the sealing means by which the infiltration of excess and undesirable air is prevented.

Another object of the present invention is to provide rounded bottom corners on the pallets of a novel character adapted to provide a rolling contact with similar surfaces of adjoining pallets as the pallet train passes around the curved sections of the roller trackway.

Another object of the present invention is to provide machined vertical surfaces at the meeting edges of the pallets along the sintering run of the trackway so as to prevent the leakage of air at these points together with rounded bottom corners of the pallets recessed back from the plane of the meeting vertical surfaces so that as the pallets bump each other at the discharge end of the machine any burs formed on the bumping surfaces will not interfere with a perfect t between the machined vertical meeting faces of the pallets. j

Another object of the present invention is 'to provide improved means for preventing infiltration of excess air at the dead plate where the pallets on the sintering run of the conveyor pass into or out of communication with the windboxes. By providing horizontal machined surfaces on the dead plate and on the coacting bottom of each pallet I am enabled to maintain a p very tight joint at these locations. By recessing the bumping corners of the pallets away from the plane of the horizontal bottom of the pallet, I provide that burs formed on the bumping corners do not interfere with or score the dead plate seal. The seal at these zones is further improved by providing flat side faces on each pallet together with a at sealing strip pressing against the side faces.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description and the essential features thereof will be set forth the appended I claims.

- In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a'.fragmental side the. discharge end of a sintering machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a-fragmental perspective view showing a portion of the bottom and of one end and onev side complete of one` of the pallets of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental top plan view taken from the position of the line 3-3 0f Fig. 1, and with the parts enlarged;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmental sectional views taken along similarly numbered lines of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; while Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of a corner of one of the pallets shown inY Figs. 1 and 2.

This invention is an improvement over the sintering machine disclosed in my Patent No. 2,273,821, granted February 24, 1942, to which reference may be had for the explanation of general features notspecically mentioned herein.

The sintering machine comprises a structural framework I0 supporting a plurality of windboxes II each of which is connected with a suction system comprising a suitable fan or blower and dust catchers and the like. An endless series of pallets I2 are supported by a set of rollers I3 as they pass along the top horizontal run of the endless track while the sintering process is taking place. Along the curved discharge end of the track, indicated at Il, the pallets are supported by two sets of rollers, namely I5 and I6, so as to guide them to the bottom horizontal run of the conveyor where the pallets return idle to the feed end of the machine supported by another set of rollers II. It will be understood by those skilled in this art that the opposite end of the stationary track is similar to the curved end I 4 and other sets of rollers like those shown at l5 and lI 6 guide the empty pallets so that they finally return to the upper run again resting upon the rollers I3. The pallets travel in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 1 and means not shown is provided at the left end of the upper run of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1 to load the pallets with the line ore or other lne metal bearing material together with the proper percentage of fuel such as coke dust or the like after which a burner is provided to ignite the material which burns in the well known manner from the upper zone downwardly, the air for combustion being drawn downwardly through the pallets by means of the windboxes I I.

elevational view of stood from Fig. 2 of the drawings.

of the pallet is provided with any suitable grate bar construction supported on the top of the ribbed bottom I2a. Parallel side walls I2b are provided to support the material for sintering. v The bottom extends laterally outward beyond the side walls I2b providing the shoulders I2c which are utilized for roher bearing surfaces and for cooperation with sealing means later described. The side shoulders may be cored out as indicated at I2d to save weight.l These thickened side por- 1 tions have formed therein parallel racks I8 which 3 v My improved pallet will be more clearly under- The bottom coact with pinions I9 driven by any suitable..

means so as to impel the pallets I2 along the idle run of the conveyor and upwardly around the curved end of the stationary track at the feed 1 end of the machine. The entire pallet may be a simple casting on which I` provide certain machine surfaces for preventing infiltration of air l into the air exhaust system as will presently appear.

' The end faces I 2e of each pallet are verticallyl disposed along the upper or sintering run of the stationary track. I prefer to machine these faces so as to prevent as much as possible of the infiltration of air at these points duringthe sintering process. Ifprovide novel means for insuring a good fit between the faces I2e of adjoining pallets throughout the life of the equipment.

Looking at the right-hand end of Fig. 1,it will be noted that the pallet I2' h'as just bumped the pallet I2" atthe point 20. The gap 3i shown vbetween pallets at the end of the sintering run per mits the pallet l2' to run a short distance around the curved end of the track bumping intol the pallet I2" so as to dislodge the material which is 1 sintered. A discharge chute, not shown, is pro- `vided at this point to conduct the sintered malterial away. Since each of the pallets with its load may weigh three thousand to four thousand pounds it will be understood that there is considerable blow delivered at the point 20. This blow causes a burring at the point where the surfaces I strike and I have provided a novel construction Iso that this does not interfere with the seal between the vertical faces I2e. As shown in Figs.

1 and 2, and as emphasized in Fig. '1, a recessed 1 construction is providedat the point 20 near each of the four bottom corners of the pallet. Along As will be noted in Referring now to Figs. l, 3 and 5, it will be noted that dead plates 2| are provided at oppolsite ends of the row of windboxes so as to prevent Iinfiltration of excess air into the windboxes at the points where the sintering run of the con- :veyor enters and leaves the zone of the windboxes. tends laterally outside the line of windboxes to lthe outside structural member I0a of the sup- `porting framework. Countersunk in the dead splate along each side thereof is one or more rollers I3', three being shown in Fig. 6. As shown in the various views, and particularly in Fig.' 5, the upper surface of the dead plate 2| is ma- It will be Vnoted that the dead plate ex 4 chined so as Vto fitagainst the flat horizontal machined bottom I2a of the pallet I2. While these surfaces are shown as meeting in Fig. 5. actually there is a clearance of a few thousandths of an inch which is'provided by having the cylindrical surfaces of the rollers I3' extend slightly above the top surfaces of the dead plate 2I. The

rollers I3 may be made adjustable for this purpose, if desiredfor in any case, the clearance between |2a and 2| may be taken care of by controlling the wearing. surface of the roll I3. The vertical side edges I2f o f the pallet shouldersy I2c are also sealed against leakage at the point where the pallets pass over the dead plate. As clearly shown in Figs. 3, 5v and 6, at each side of the conveyor, I provide a flexible sealing strip 22 which may consist of a. strip 22a of flexible asbestos or the like backed by a strip-22h of spring steel or the like suitably secured to the side frame member IIJa at the point 23 and providing a flat ver-V tical sealing surface bearing against the vertical run of the conveyor. .The strip 24 thus closes the v only opening in a chamber 25 which is otherwise closed by the frame members Ilia, I0b, I0c and Ind. The chamber 25 is subject to suction from; the wlndbox Il through the opening 26. My invention makes it possibleto hold this opening to a very narrow space because ofthe machined fiat bottom I2a on each pallet and becausethe recessed surface 20h at the bottom corners of the pallet insures that the surface I2a remains absolutely fiat. Preferably, but not necessarily, I

provide a strip 21 along the entire side of the frame member IIla so as to reduce the width of the opening 28 necessary to lbe, sealed by the member 2l. y f

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the cylindrical surface I3a'of each of the rollers I3 is tangential to the bottom I2a of each pallet.

lA flange I3b on the outside edge of each roller serves to maintain the palletscentered. It will be noted that there is room on the roller surface I 3a forexpansion of the pallet laterally due to heat. In my earlier granted patent, mentioned` previously, such lateral expansion caused ythe pallet to ride up on the inclined rollersso as to f increase the gap pointed out at 26 in Fig. 4. Utilizing my present construction this gap is always maintained at a very narrow dimension because the free lateral expansion ispermitted as above described.

It will be understood by those skilled in this art that the arcuate surfaces I2g engage the supporting rollers I6 while the flat surfaces |211, en-

gage the rollers I'I on'the bottom run of the sta-v l tionary track.

It should be understood that certain features faces 20 might be arranged as taught above so th/at burs would never interfere with the fit of the end faces of adjacent carriers.

What I claim is:

1. In a sintering machine having parallel track portions carrying rollers defining an endless path and having a windbox between said track portions, a plurality of pallets engaging said rollers and adapted to follow a straight path over said windbox during a sintering operation and a curved path during a discharge operation, each pallet having a hearth level above which the sintered material lies, e'nd portions of each pallet extending below said level, said end portions of adjacent pallets being adapted to bump each other during said discharge operation, a dead plate in said path at the end of said windbox, said dead plate having a flat planar upper horizontal surface, some of said first mentioned rollers being positioned with cylindrical surfaces substantially tangent to said dead plate each of said pallets having a flat planar lower horizontal surface extending across said path, said plate and pallets being so constructed and arranged that said horizontal surfaces substantially meet, each of said pallets having flat planar vvertical end faces at and above said hearth level, and said lbumping end {pox-tions being recessed into said pallets out of the plane of said vertical end faces and out of the plane of said lower to bump each other during said discharge pera tion, said dead plates having flat planar upper horizontal surfaces, said rollers at the zone oi each dead plate being cylindrical and substantially tangent with the upper surface of said dead plate to permit pallets to pass over, while substantially in sealing engagement with said dead plate, each of said :pallets having a at planar lower horizontal surface extending across said path, and said plate and pallets and rollers being so constructed and arranged that said horizontal surfaces substantially meet.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said bumping end-portions are recessed into said pallets out of the plane of said lower horizontal surface oi' said pallet.

4. In a sintering machine having parallel track portions carrying rollers defining an endless path and having a windbox .between said track portions and having dead plates at opposite ends of said windbox, a plurality of rpallets engaging said rollers and adapted to follow a straight path over said windbox during a sintering operation, said pallets meeting end to end to form a continuous conveyor, said pallets having vertical side faces parallel to said path, an imperforate continuous frame member :parallel to said path and laterally outside said side faces and laterally outside said dead plates, generally horizontal sealing means between said frame member and said pallets, and generally vertical sealing means at one of said dead plates between said frame member and said vertical side face of a pallet passing over said dead plate, said sealing means extending from said dead plate to said horizontal sealing means.

5. In a sintering machine having parallel track portions carrying rollers defining an endless path and' having a windbox between said track portions and having dead lplates at opposite ends 0f said windbox, a plurality of pallets engaging said rollers and adapted to follow a straight path over said windbox during a sintering operation, said pallets meeting end to end to form a continuous conveyor, said pallets having vertical side faces parallel to said path, an imperforate continuous frame member parallel to said path and laterally outside said side faces and laterally outside said dead plates, generally horizontal sealing means between said frame member and said Ipallets, and a nat vertical sealing strip extending from said dead plate to said horizontal sealing means and secured to said frame member and engaging said vertical side face oi? a pallet passing over said dead plate.

CHARLES E. AGNEW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tlle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,534,398 Knox Apr. 21. 1925 1,841,081 Bennet Jan. 12, 1932 2,273,821 Agnew Feb. 24, 1942 2,401,204 yUrban May 28, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 222,748 Great Britain Oct. 9, 1924 

